Automatic adjustable-grip pipe-wrench.



No. 818,419. I I PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

\ W. H. DALBY. AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE GRIP PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1904.

Jwa diva M UNITED STATES PArnr orrrcn.

AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE-GRIP PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed January 18, 1904. Serial No. 189,497.

To a w/tom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. DALBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Adjustable-Grip Pipe-Wrenches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to adjustable pipewrenches in which the adjustable jaws there of are designed to also be self-adjusting to some extent independently of the devices provided for adjustments to various diameters of pipes, the invention having particular reference to the movable or adjustable jaws and also to other features comprised in pipewrenches.

Objects of the invention are to provide pipe-wrenches which may be cheaply constructed and be durable and. economical in use, to provide wrencheswhich will automatically adjust themselves to rough pipes which may have varying diameters and positively grip such pipes without requiring the operator to use both of his hands in operating the wrenches, to provide wrenches which may readily be released from pipes, and to generally improve the construction of pipe- Wrenches.

With the above objects in View the invention consists in the novel parts and in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Wrench constructed in accordance with the invention, the movable jaw thereof being in normal position relatively to the other parts; Fig. 2, a perspective view of one of the two parts of the crosshead for carrying the movable jaw, showing the inner side of the part; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the wrench with the part of the cross-head removed and the adjusting-nut in central section, the end of the handle or le ver being broken off and the movable jaw slightly advanced from the fixed jaw; Fig. 4, a transverse sectional View, as at the line 1 1 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, as on the line 2 2 in Fig. 3, showing a modification in the construction of the fixed jaw; and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 in Fig. 3, showing the contour of the handle part of the lever.

Similar reference characters in the drawings designate like parts or features.

In construction the lever A is metallic, as are also all other parts of the wrench, and it is so formed as to provide a good handle, the top or part against which the force must be applied by the hand of the operator having a relatively broad rounded face a, the sides I) 1/ plus metal, and the bottom or edge opposite the face a having a relatively narrow face 0. The end portion A of the lever on which the cross-head is mounted has flat parallel sides and rounded edges and on the edges are projections B, formed as parts of screw-threads. The lesser diameter of the portion A is less than that of the part of the handle having the broad face a, so that the cross-head cannot move over the handle portion of the lever.

An adjusting-nut C is mounted on the portion A of the lever and has a thread-groove (1 receiving the projections B, the exterior of the nut being circular and provided with ribs 6, although the surface may either be suitably milled or be smoothfinished, as may be preferred. At the inner end. of the portion A of the lever a jaw D, having teeth 4, is secured rigidly thereto, preferably as an integral part, and projects beyond the edge of the lever-that is, in the plane of the edge 0 of the handle part.

The cross-head is composed of two right and left hand counterpart pieces or half parts E and E, designed to be formed separately in a cheap manner and secured together rigidly, but detachably, if desired, each part having an aperture therein through which the nut C may project, the aperture having sides f, forming abutments against which the nut bears in operation. The parts are placed against the broader sides of the portion A ,and each part has wings 5 and 6, extending partially across the edges of the lever part, the wings of the two parts of the cross-head meeting midway between the two parts, and suitable holes 9 are provided in the parts of the cross-head for receiving screws 7L, whereby the parts are connected or rivets may be employed in lieu of the screws, if permanent connection be preferred. The proportions of the parts are such that the nut C does not project greatly beyond the outer sides of the cross-head, and therefore is not obstructive in using the wrench. The parts being concave, so as to avoid the use of sur- E and E have each a half of a screw-holed in the wing 5 thereof, and the parts also have each a pivot-hole j, a pivot is being mounted in the holes of the two parts and extending from one part to the other of the crosshead. The cross-head may move when operated by the nut C only between the jawD and the part of the handle that has the broad edge (1, thus preventingcareless workmen from applying the wrench to larger pipes than the strength of the wrench may be designed for.

The movable jaw F is formed somewhat as a bent finger, having a relatively long shank, the end of which is mounted on the pivot is, forming a knuckle-joint with the cross-head beyond the plane of the edge of the lever corresponding to the edge havin the broad face a. The free end of the jaw has its working face normally opposite and nearly parallel to the working face of the jaw D and is provided with teeth 7. The knuckle of the jaw F has a projection Z at the rear of the pivot 70. A spring G is mounted in the cross-head on the wings 5 thereof and is secured by a screw m, inserted in the hole formed by the two half-holes t, the free end of the spring engaging the projection Z and pressing it outwardly, so that the working end of the jaw is pressed toward the jaw D at all times.

In Fig. 5 the fixed jaw D, similar to the jaw D, 1s formed separately from the lever portion A and has flanges n n, whereby the jaw is secured to the end of the lever portion A by a rivet or rivets p, the aw D thus being renewable.

n practical use the jaw F may be adjusted by means of the nut C to suit a pipe, and when the wrench is properly applied to the pipe the spring G will force the two jaws to close against the pipe, so that when the lever is moved in the proper direction the jaws will automatically grip the pipe, When backing the wrench 1n order to take a new hold on the pipe, the jaw D will be easily drawn from the pipe, the jaw F moving relatively toward the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 8. In operating on a pipe that may be slightly flattened or have varying diameters, the jaw F will move on its pivot and accommodate itself to the conditions without requiring adjustments of the nut C. The cross-head engaging the fixed jaw gages the maximum opening between the aws.

The peculiar construction of the wrench adapts it particularly to be operated in places where the space may be limited, and the broad face a of the handle portion affords a comfortable surface for contact with the bare hands of workmen.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is I An improved pipe-wrench comprising a combined lever and handle with a toothed jaw D attached to one end thereof, the opposite end part thereof having the broad face a extending beyond the planes of the sides thereof, the intermediate portion of said handle and lever having flat sides with threads -on the edges thereof, a cross-head on said intermediate portion and carrying a spring arranged between the sides thereof, and a jaw pivoted between the sides of the crosshead and having a short projection extending over and engaging the free end of the spring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. DALBY,

Witnesses:

HARRY D. PIERsON, E. T. SILvIUs. 

